Browns: Stock way up for Ronnie Hickman, crashing for Cade York

The Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders waited for over an hour to start their game because of severe weather in the area Friday night and for the Browns, while there were some players that played well, it might have been best for a few others to have stayed back in the locker rooms and not bothered to play.

Let’s take a look at some of these players who are on opposite ends of the stock up and stock down market. 

Stock up: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Could the rookie quarterback be a challenge to presumed backup quarterback Josh Dobbs? For the second weekend in a row, Dorian Thompson-Robinson performed very well when given the opportunity. He finished 9-of-10 for 102 yards and a touchdown. His quarterback rating was a sky-high 142.5. 

DTR seems to have that extra little giddyup that some athletes just have and he has inspired the players around him when he’s in the game. The funny part is that a year ago Josh Dobbs was doing that and some were speculating he could be the starting quarterback instead of Jacoby Brissett.

Now, Dobbs is the presumed backup to Deshaun Watson. However, when he was in the game yesterday the team had four different offensive possessions and faltered. The first two drives went three and out. The third possession went six plays and ended in a sack of Dobbs and the fourth possession went nine plays but Dobbs through an untimely interception.

DTR had two series both in the third quarter and he made the most of them. The first series went 11 plays with three first downs but Cade York blew a 46-yard field goal attempt. 

In the second series, DTR didn’t bother settling for a field goal attempt. Instead, he was slick in marching the Browns to the endzone by completing passes of 27, 12, 14, 10, and seven yards. The final pass was a beautiful throw to wide receiver David Bell for the score. 

Kellen Mond is more likely the candidate who will be released by the team at this point. There’s no way that the Browns put DTR on the practice squad when the season starts. His stock is certainly rising quickly.

Stock up: WR, Austin Watkins

Another player who seems to be getting a lot more buzz, and for good reason is Austin Watkins. The Browns picked up Watkins from the USFL Birmingham Stallions a few weeks ago and he's really played well in these first two preseason games.

Against the Commanders, he led the team with six receptions and 71 yards. He also caught an important 19-yard pass on a fourth down play that kept Cleveland’s last offensive possession alive. 

After watching speedy wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, drop passes and fumble the ball the last few seasons for the Browns, watching Walkens is a breath of fresh air. The Browns need to figure out a way to ensure that Watkins is on the 53-man roster when the season starts.

Stock up: Safety, Ronnie Hickman

Ronnie Hickman had quite the game Friday night against Washington as he intercepted two passes.

On the first one, while playing centerfield, he recognized the errant throw of Washington quarterback Jacoby Brissett and snagged the long throw down near the goal line. The second interception was a beautiful read and attack from the safety position to strip the ball away from the intended wide receiver at the last second. 

Hickman was quite the star when he played for Ohio State but there were questions of how he would do transitioning to the NFL after a semi-down season this past college campaign. 

The Browns brought him in as a free agent when he went undrafted. He seems to be quite the bargain right now for a team looking to strengthen their safety position after veterans Juan Thornhill, Rodney McLeod, and Grant Delpit.

Hickman could be that needed fourth safety for the team if he can keep up this great preseason performance. 

Stock Down: K, Cade York

After missing a 45-yard field goal in the Hall of Fame Game a week ago, all eyes were on Cade York. And on his lone field goal attempt of 46 yards, he was wide right with it. 

This could mean the Browns bring in some competition for York for the remainder of training camp. Up until now, the team has handed the field goal duties exclusively to York who was a fourth-round draft pick a year ago. 

Field goal kicking is like playing golf and can become a mental obstacle if things start to falter for you and for York it seems his confidence is shot. Considering that Cleveland, at least on paper has a team that could challenge for a playoff berth and beyond, it would probably be in their best interest to check out a new kicker or two.

While the Browns are needing to score touchdowns with this hyped offense they will still need a reliable kicker to give them three points at times and York seems shaken and can’t be counted on any longer. 

Stock down: The second unit of the offense

After the Browns opened the game on a nice 12-play drive with quarterback Deshaun Watson, they went to their second unit and that group stalled the rest of the first half of the game. 
You’d hope that the second group behind the starters would show some good things but it just showed the weakness and lack of depth this team still has there. 

When the Browns went to their second unit, that included going with left tackle James Hudson, the third-year player from Cincinnati. Hudson and the offensive line played poorly when they first got out on the field and the offense faltered several times. The left tackle got mixed up a few times and was allowing the defensive ends for Washington to swarm into the Browns backfield. 

Josh Dobbs, the darling of training camp a year ago was running for his life on a few plays and ended one series being sacked after the offensive line unit failed. Cleveland went two series of three and out. They managed a six-play drive the third time and then went on a nine-play drive, but Dobson threw a terrible pass that was too high and was ultimately intercepted by Washington. 

Stock down: WR, Anthony Schwartz 

Can this kid’s stock be any lower?

Many fans are wondering why Anthony Schwartz wasn’t released on Saturday. It’s been a continuous tumble for what seems like forever. In the game against the Commanders on Friday night, the first pass that went his way was dropped.

While his speed was the primary reason Cleveland drafted him two years ago, his football skills have never really improved to any great degree. 

Schwartz was thought to have caught a pass later in the game to cheers of the home crowd but upon further review, the pass was bobbled and deemed an incomplete pass. Time and good hands just don't seem to be on the kid's side these days.